The invention relates generally to the field of cameras, and in particular to a dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images. More specifically, the invention relates to a dual image capture camera with a preview screen that displays a captured electronic image when a preview button is manually depressed.
Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending application Ser. No. 09/491,448, entitled DUAL FILM EXPOSURE, ELECTRONIC EXPOSURE CAMERA WITH MULTIPLE REWRITE ON FILM EXCEPT FOR FINAL EXPOSURE, and filed Jan.26, 2000, in the names of James W. Fulmer and Robert Hills.
Recently, a dual image capture (or hybrid) camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images was announced. The dual image capture camera includes a preview screen that can be turned on to display a captured electronic image and that can be turned off. A preview button on the camera is manually depressed to turn the preview screen on and off. Typically, the preview button is manually depressed immediately after a picture is taken in order to preview what a print of the picture would look like.
The cross-referenced application discloses a dual film image and electronic image capture camera in which a control is connected to a preview screen and to a preview button to turn the preview screen on automatically without having to manually depress the preview button, only when an electronic image corresponding to the last film image available on the filmstrip is captured. Otherwise, the preview button must be manually depressed to turn the preview screen on.
A dual image capture camera for capturing successive film images on a filmstrip and for capturing successive electronic images that correspond to the respective film images, including a preview screen that can be turned on to display a captured electronic image in order to preview what a print of a captured film image would look like and that can be turned off, a preview button that is manually depressed to turn the preview screen on when the preview screen is off and can be manually depressed to turn the preview screen off when the preview screen is on, and a control connected to the preview screen and to the preview button to turn the preview screen on automatically without having to manually depress the preview button when an electronic image corresponding to the last film image available on the filmstrip is captured, is characterized in that:
the control disables the preview button for an allotted time when an electronic image corresponding to the last film image available on the filmstrip is captured, to prevent manual depression of the preview button to turn the preview screen off from interfering with turning the preview screen on automatically, and re-enables the preview button when the allotted time has elapsed, to allow manual depression of the preview button to turn the preview screen off.